Abstract: Capsanthin is a carotenoid compound extracted from mature red chili peppers. It is widely used as a food and feed additive because of bright color and high safety. Capsanthin, a polar lipid-soluble substance, has bioavailability better than that of β-carotene. Besides being a colorant, capsanthin has good antioxidant capacity. It can remove excess active oxygen species in the body and participate in the regulation of signal transduction pathways related to active oxygen species, therefore alleviating oxidative stress-induced damage to body tissues and important cellular components such as deoxyribonucleic acid, lipids and proteins and exerting a wide range of biological effects. Previous studies have found that capsanthin can regulate lipid metabolism in the body, modulate immune responses, has anti-cancer and anti-radiation effects, enhance learning ability in the elderly, and especially reduce the incidence of certain cardiovascular diseases, cancers and other chronic diseases. In this article, the advances made in understanding the bioavailability, physiological functions and mechanisms of action of capsanthin in recent years are reviewed, in order to provide a reference for studying the functional properties of capsanthin.

Key words: capsanthin, bioavailability, antioxidant activity, lipid metabolism